One Time Too Many
by xXDonnaTylerXx
Summary: When things looked bleak, they turned to each other as a means of release - Pure, uncomplicated, physical satisfaction. And to Rachel, it was always just that simple. Multiple pairings including Finchel, Puckleberry, some Quinn/Puck and Will/Shelby.
1. The Error of Her Ways

**Hi! This was a new idea that came to me after the finale (which by the way was increeedible!) and has a whole host of different couples in it in different way, some Finchel, some Puckleberry, some Quinn/Puck and Will/Shelby stuff - but as to who ends p with who, I guess you'll just have to read and find out! I know vaguely where this story is going but it may change, and I hope to update relativly often because exam season's drawing to a close, thank the lord! :P I hope you enjoy chapter one, and a review letting me know what you thought would absolutely make my day :)**

**Donna xxx**

Chapter One - The Error of Her Ways

Their lips broke apart for the first time in what must have been at least twenty minutes, both panting heavily as he admitted, his voice harsh and his breathing ragged:

"I didn't expect you to come over this time."

"Neither did I." She replied, feverishly continuing to kiss him during the gaps in their conversation.

"So..." Another kiss, "Why did you?"

"I don't know," She paused for what have been at least five seconds, her mind struggling to connect words as he continued to explore her mouth with his tongue, "I don't want to talk."

She felt him smile against her lips, "Wow, you not having eighty different things to say... Has to be a first."

"Shut up." She slapped his arm gently, peppering him with more kisses in between her words, "It kills the... Logical portion of my brain... Which is admittedly quite sizeable... To say this, but I don't think... There has to be... A reason for what we're doing." He nodded, and she continued her disjointed speech, "It's almost as if... A way of releasing stress... Like we're both just ven-"

"Berry?"

"Yes, Noah?"

"Shut up."

* * *

Rachel left Puck's house that night feeling deflated and, though she hadn't even thought it possible, even more depressed than when she'd gone over. She sighed, asking herself yet again why she was doing this. Sure, she felt satisfied physically - that boy sure knew how to kiss, and his arms, it had to be said, were just out of this world - but in ever other way possible she felt drained, disgusted with herself for behaving in a way she found so cheap... And emotionally, she was just _aching _for it to be a different guy who held her in his arms of an evening.

Since splitting up with Jesse almost three weeks previously, after he'd come clean to her and told her he'd only been with her to help her discover the identity of her mother, things had started to slip uncontrollably back into their old ways. Rachel felt alone, although admittedly a little relieved at the demise of the not-quite-relationship that had been she and Jesse St. James. Somewhere deep down, she had always known he was a phony, but a phony who had been the easy option after all the confusion with Finn, and she had so wanted it to be perfect.

But Rachel was beginning to see the error of her ways now - the fact was, if she wasn't with Finn, things could never be perfect.

One of the positive aspects of breaking up with Jesse, she had assumed, would be the immediate rekindling of her and Finn's romance - but that wasn't the way it had happened. Sure, the fleeting, longing glances between them had returned, along with the banter between them in the hallways; the frequent requests to rehearse their duets in glee club. But as for any actual romantic developments, there had been nothing.

To Rachel, it was the most frustrating thing in the world, and the sole reason she'd been driven once again into Puck's arms tonight. She had told herself it wouldn't happen again, that she'd stop degrading herself with their destructive little makeout sessions, but when things weren't going well for either of them, they turned to each other for a way to vent.

After Glee had ended that afternoon, Rachel had hoped that Finn would stick around, that maybe they'd finally get somewhere, or in the very least that she'd get one of their long, comforting goodbye hugs from him... No such luck. By the time she'd collected all of her sheet music and put it neatly back into her binder, she had looked up to see that Finn had gone. On the way out, trying to mask her disappointment with a somewhat cheery face and fooling no-one, she'd passed Quinn and Puck, the former of whom was shrieking something about responsibility and commitment at him.

That had been a sure-fire indication that she'd be receiving a text from Noah later that evening, shortly and bluntly asking her over. And as much as she hated herself for it, Rachel had known she'd do it, hoping that maybe, for the first time, it would make her feel even the tiniest bit better.

It hadn't.

* * *

Puck grinned as he watched Rachel leave walk down the street away from his house that evening; he couldn't help it. Something about being with her just made him feel better for reasons he wasn't quite sure of, gave him a kind of satisfaction he'd never had with another girl. He assumed it was just physical - come on, it had to be said the girl was smokin' hot and her hair smelled a_mazing. _But there was something else, something Puck just couldn't put his finger on, something about her that made things seem temporarily okay, even when Quinn was being at her bitchiest.

Quinn freakin' Fabray. Both the centre, and the bane, of his life. Hell, he had thought all girls were hard to read, but compared to her they all seemed like a walk in the park. And yeah, he knew her complete bipolarness (If that was a word?) was down to the baby he had so unwittingly stranded her with, currently residing in her stomach and making her queen of the mood swings.

Seriously, she ought to have a crown. Some days Quinn would hold his hand, stroke his face, rest her head on his shoulder, compliment him and thank him for being so amazing to her. On these days, Puck was over the moon, positive that he was in love with her, content and with the attitude that everything would turn out absolutely fine. But then, within a day, hell, sometimes within ten seconds, something would snap inside her and she'd be going all chick batty on him, crying, calling him every name under the sun, shrieking about how he was such a worthless piece of crap who had knocked her up with this god damn curse.

Hey, he knew it was the baby, and that all he could do was hope and pray that after she was born, after she'd been given to someone who deserved her and would take care of her, things would change between he and Quinn. Because he was sure he loved her. He must do, he'd never invested this much in a chick before.

But still, it was on the days when Quinn was down that he felt like he agreed with her, that she was right. He really was worthless, really didn't deserve her... And needless to say, it was on those days that Puck would text Rachel Berry, spending an evening in frantic, passionate bliss without worries or responsibilities.

He always knew that he shouldn't, but he always did nonetheless. Because Puck knew that every time, no matter how badly things were going with Quinn, Rachel would make him feel a thousand times better.

* * *

After checking his phone for what must have been the sixtieth time that night to make sure Rachel hadn't contacted him in the last fifteen seconds, Finn flopped backwards onto his bed with a dejected sigh. This was hopeless, he didn't think he'd ever been so obsessed with a girl - sometimes, he started to scare himself. When he was talking to her, he could never hide the huge grin on his face, keep himself from noting her beautiful hair, the kooky way she dressed, the passionate expressions and the meaning she put into her words.

When she'd been with Jesse, he'd told himself he'd get over her, but needless to say _that _hadn't happened. And yes, he had been glad that St. James had come clean about being a total fake, but his foremost thought had been making sure Rachel was okay. He had known she must be hurting, and he wasn't going to jump straight in there, assume she'd fall for him again. He'd screwed things up just one time too many with Rachel, and this time, Finn wanted to make sure he did it right.

And that meant not making a move too soon. Making sure she was happy and that things wouldn't get all screwy with them again... And it had been a good move, at the time, not being hasty. But now, they'd both been single for three weeks, and it just seemed like nothing was progressing in the slightest. He'd see her for a few minutes a day, grasp a short conversation out of her in the hall which they'd both spend gazing at each other, and then that would be it. They'd both go to class, and he would be miserable again.

In Glee today, they'd rehearsed _Total Eclipse of the Heart, _with Finn singing all the lines that Jesse had used to, and he'd let himself hope that they would catch each other after class; that something, _anything _would happen between them. But as soon as Mr. Schue has dismissed them, Mike had asked him over to his house for an X-Box session with he and Matt.

Finn had glanced behind him to see Rachel still filing her sheet music away, and realised he had no legitimate excuse for turning them down. So, with a big, fake smile plastered on his face, he had agreed, and spent the afternoon blasting various imaginary villains to pieces with not half his usual conviction.

This was bad, he thought now, glaring at his ceiling, really bad. He wanted her, so much that sometimes it hurt; he was just crazy about her... But he really didn't want to seem too forward after her breakup. Because Rachel Berry meant too much to him to rush things between them. This time, it had to be just right.


	2. I'm Not That Girl

**Hi! Thanks for the reviews I got for chapter one, they were much appreciated and really nice :) Feedback is always lovely if you've been reading and want to let me know what you thought. Well here's chapter two, and I understand not a great deal has happened in the first couple of sections but it's really just to set the story up. Also I know my chapters' lengths aren't the longest but if I keep them short I can update more often. Hope you enjoy this! Please review :)**

**Donna xxx**

Chapter Two - I'm Not That Girl

"I know why you called." Shelby felt like a little girl, sat opposite the teacher at his desk, as though she was being berated... Which, she reasoned with herself, right now, she probably deserved. "And don't worry about it, my reconnection with Rachel's not some kind of plot to mess with you guys before Regionals."

"I'm not worried about Regionals." Will told her, and she blinked, knowing what had to come next. "It's Rachel. She's special; she's got all of the best of you. She's strong willed... Dramatic... Wildly talented." Okay, now he had her attention.

"Go on...?" She couldn't help but smirk slightly, getting a brief, wholly inappropriate flashback of making out with this man on his couch.

"But she's not hard like you. She's fragile, over-emotional. And she's clearly convinced herself that you are as committed to this reunion as she is." Will paused, keeping eye contact with her as she felt every light-hearted emotion exit her brain as he spoke in such depth about her daughter, "And I don't think you are. You're not prepared to have a teenage daughter... Are you?"

He was looking at her still, really looking, with something behind his eyes which was almost daring her to open up to him. Something she hadn't done to anyone, hadn't trusted anybody enough. Shelby swallowed; shot him a small smile, before taking a breath and taking the leap.

"I can't have any more kids. There were issues a few years back, then some surgery, and... That's that." She admitted, closing her eyes for a fraction of a second as she hastily covered the topic that was so difficult for her to talk about, "I really wanted a daughter. That's why it was so important to me to make that bond with her. But you're right... I wanted my baby back. Rachel's an adult now, she doesn't need me."

"Shelby..." She felt a shiver pass down her spine as he said her name, "I can't tell you what to do. But if you really love her, you _have_ to tell her what you just told me.

"No, I don't."

"Shel-"

"Please let me finish, Mr. Schuester." She closed her eyes again briefly, scolding herself for raising her voice even slightly. She had started opening up to this man now, there was no going back. "I'm sorry. But I can't tell her that, because although Rachel doesn't _need _me, I know that she _wants _me. And as hard as it is for you to believe, I want her. I just... I'm finding it _so _difficult and I..."

"Hey, hey hey." Will soothed her quietly, noting the break in her voice, "Come on, we're here to talk about this. It's okay."

Shelby sniffed, managing a small, watery smile of thanks before continuing. "I expected her to be like a child, a little girl who I'd have to take care of. And she's not, Rachel's so much more than that. I've only spoken with her for a few times and even I can see how headstrong she is, how passionate, how elegant. She's _beautiful, _Will, and she's so grown up... And that's okay. It is, it just means I need to change my head state a little bit, rearrange the way I think of her."

"And you think you can do that?"

"I know I can. So Rachel won't need my help for changing, eating, drinking, she won't need me to rock her to sleep at night. But she needs me in other ways."

Will smiled slightly, "Like making Lady GaGa outfits?"

"See, there you go." Shelby smiled back, her eyes sparkling, "I love that she came to me for that, honestly I do. I felt like she trusted me, and that was just the most amazing feeling to me in the whole wide world. We had fun finding the things we'd need, sewing it all up together; I got to know her a little. Gave me a little taster of the way it could be for good."

"So... You do want to make that happen?"

"I'm determined to." Shelby nodded, "I do want this, I promise. I want a little normality in my life, the things that everyone else takes for granted... A nice house, a car, a dog, a family... A good job. One that doesn't involve barking out orders to some spoiled, ungrateful group of middle-class teenagers."

He blinked, "You mean you're...?"

"Quitting Vocal Adrenaline, yes. I was always planning to leave after Regionals, the principal at Carmel's known for six months. Let's see if it's their 'talent' that's stolen them Nationals so many times or rather my cracking the whip so fiercely. I feel like a _bitch _when I'm teaching them, and I know deep down they all hate me. And I don't wantto be hated, or feared; I don't get a kick out of it like your psychopathic Cheerleading coach. I'm not that girl."

"I know you're not." Will told her gently, giving her a sad smile at the tears that sprung from her eyes as she delved deeper into her personal thoughts, admitting more to him than he got the feeling she had to anybody before. "It's great that you're getting this out, Shelby, it really is. And as surprised as I am to hear your plans, I have to admit it sounds like the right thing to do."

"One day I'm gonna get my baby girl Will, I'm sure of it. I'm gonna get my new life, my stability... But I need my other little girl to be a part of that life too, my big, strong, _wonderful _grown up daughter, I just..." A sob escaped from her, unable to control the quivering in her voice anymore, and Will couldn't help but stand up and move around the table to put an arm around the woman who had, out of the blue, exposed her inner turmoil to him.

"I just get scared that she won't want me. I just find it_ so hard, _and I have so much doubt that I'll be able to make it work, and I..." There were a few moments where all she could do was cry gently, endlessly grateful for the strong arm around her shoulders as she leaned into him.

Will couldn't help but feel heartbroken for her, this woman with such a tough exterior who, it turned out, was human just like the rest of them. And there was really only one answer he could give when, after a little while, she looked up at him, her eyes shining with thanks and her face tear streaked, and asked:

"Will you help me, Will?"

"Of course I will."

* * *

"No, Finn," Rachel giggled, "A sonnet isn't like a hat you wear at Easter. It's a fourteen line poem which ends with a rhyming coupl... Two sentences that end with the same sound. They were typically written pre-1914... _That's _what Mrs Hepburn asked us to research for our assignment."

She heard an "_Ohhhhhhh..." _Of understanding from down the phone, and smiled, congratulating herself for finally getting through to him, before a small, confused noise and an "Um, hang on... Actually, no, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Gosh," Rachel sighed in a mock-frustrated manner, "What am I going to do with you, Hudson?" _I could think of a few things... _Biting her lip, she pushed the thought from her mind as a shrill beep resounded through her ear and she glanced down at her mobile.

"Sorry, Finn, is it okay if I talk to you again later? I have another call coming through, it's... It's my mom."

"No problem," She could picture his cute, concerned smile and her heart melted, "I hope everything's okay, Rach. Bye!"

"Bye." She said gently, her stomach doing tiny little backflips at the thought that she'd just spent thirty minutes on the phone with him - things were definitely looking up. Rachel brought the phone once more to her ear, taking a breath, "Hello?"

"Hi, Rachel. It's... It's Shelby." There was hesitancy in the woman's voice, but when Rachel responded with "Hi, mom!" she heard a small sigh of relief and her mother's tone lightened considerably.

"So, I was wondering - If you're not busy, obviously - If you fancied meeting up today? I'm free of rehearsals and I figured you'd just be home studying, so it might be nice..." Her confidence was lacking again by the end, but Rachel, with a smile threatening to bloom, gave her words of encouragement.

"That sounds wonderful! I'm really looking forward to it, Mom. Shall we say an hour? I have some daily vocal exercises that I need to get done before I leave, but I can do a condensed version designed to save time in exact such situations as this. Oh, and I'll need a vague itinerary of what, if any, activities you had planned, so I can ensure my choice of clothing is appropr..."

Shelby grinned as Rachel continued to talk_. That's my girl. _


	3. Don't Let Him Go

**Another quick update, I don't know what's gotten into me! I'm really enjoying writing this story though, and I'd love to know whether you're enjoying reading it - the reviews I've had so far have been lovely, realy much appreciated as would be any comments for this chapter. It's much longer, this one, with a whole mix of stuff in, so I hope you like it! Please review :)**

**Donna xxx**

Chapter Three - Don't Let Him Go

"Mr. Schuester?"

"Yeah?"

"My... My clothing _is _appropriate, isn't it?" Rachel bit her lip, glancing worriedly over to where Shelby stood in the ticket line, "It's just I've never been skating before and I wasn't entirely sure if there'd be real ice, so I'd have to dress warm. I called Kurt but he said-"

"It's fine, honestly. You look lovely." Her teacher smiled, before glancing over at Shelby himself and then leaning in a little closer to her so he was sure no-one else would hear. "You... You are okay with me being here, right Rach? Shelby asked me to come along, but I understand if you'd rather it was just you and her..."

"I'm glad you're here, Mr. Schue." Rachel swallowed before telling him genuinely, "It makes me feel a little more secure, to tell the truth. A little less like I'm in totally uncharted waters here... Is it wrong that I'm saying that?" She looked a little anxious, but he smiled at her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Not at all. This is new to the both of you, and yes it's going to be difficult. But I know that both of you want this more than anything, and what you'll get out of it will _so _be worth putting in the effort. It may not always seem like it, but your mom is trying, Rachel. Just remember that; I know she is."

Rachel gave him a solemn little nod, a tiny smile appearing. "Thank you so much, Mr. Schue. You don't have to do this for us, but you are, and I just..."

"I know. And I also think that when we're outside of school, you might just get away with calling me Will."

* * *

Aside from bowling, making friends and solving quadratic equations (the _only _six marks she'd dropped on her most recent Maths paper, and had infuriated her for days), there was very little in life that Rachel Berry tried and didn't immediately get the hang of. Ice skating, she figured as she laced up her hire shoes, wouldn't be any different. It was just like dancing, surely. She'd be able to keep her balance no problem, right?

Wrong. She watched Shelby step on first, keeping her head high and skating elegantly a few feet backwards, and then Will, who admittedly wobbled _slightly _more than her mother but still kept his balance and his dignity, before braving it herself. Taking tiny, hesitant steps, Rachel put one foot onto the ice rink, then the other... And almost toppled straight to the floor, only at the last second catching herself on the barrier at the edge of the rink and being thankful she had something to cling to for support.

"Oh my _gosh!" _She gasped, "I think I just almost died!" Shelby fell about laughing, and Rachel tried to look affronted but couldn't help smiling slightly. Thinking that perhaps it was just the shock of stepping on for the very first time, she let go of the barrier again, determined to stay upright this time... Her efforts were in vain. Once again Rachel immediately lost her balance, but it was Will who caught her this time before she hit the ice, laughing almost as hard as Shelby.

"It's simply because I've had no proper instruction!" Rachel insisted, "For all I know it could be the blind leading the blind! I find it hard to believe you two are experts at this, I'll bet you couldn't make it three feet without falling down too!" There was a glint in her eye that was almost daring as she addressed the two adults, once again firmly grasping the barrier, and the two of them glanced at each other conspiratorially before nodding.

"Alright." Shelby said playfully, "Why don't Mr. Schuester and I show you a little of how it's done?" Rachel nodded as her mother winked at her, before taking Will's hand.

"Am I doing okay with her?" Shelby asked, just loud enough for him to hear her as they skated gracefully into the middle of the rink, and he nodded.

"You're dong brilliantly. And I know better than most that Rachel isn't always easy to handle at first." He smirked as the two of them kept skating, "So, can you actually skate, or was that all just a front for your daughter's sake?"

"I still like hearing that word." Shelby smiled at him, "And yes, I can. They used to bring us here for figure-skating lessons back in high school... I guess funding for Glee clubs was a little better back then."

"Wait..." Will looked a little puzzled, _"_I used to come here for lessons with Glee club, too-"

"Oh, I know you, did, Will! I was waiting for you to notice..." At his completely blank expression, she shook her head slightly, still grinning, "I _knew_ you didn't remember me, I really wanted to see if you'd figure it out."

"Huh?"

"McKinley High, class of '93. Of course, the Glee club had a different name back then, but-"

"No. No way." He shook his head, "There's no way I could forget that, if there'd been a voice like yours in our glee club we'd have taken nationals every year!"

"It never got heard, Will! You think they ever gave _me _a solo?" Shelby shook her head, still smiling slightly at the astonished look on his face, "The solos went to April Rhodes, Brian Ryan, _You, _not the dark haired 'drama geek' who sung backup."

"I still can't believe... I still feel like I would-"

She snorted slightly, "You didn't know I existed back then, let alone seventeen years later. You jocks with your cheerleading girlfriends would never acknowledge the Broadway nut's existence unless it was to toss a Coke in my face."

Will couldn't help but squirm inwardly at the thought, at just how familiar it all sounded. "Shelley, I am _so_-"

"Don't." She grinned, "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, it made me who I am. Driven, determined, all the things you say you like about me... I guess high school isn't everything, huh?"

"I guess not..." He said quietly, and Shelby gently nudged him.

"I said stop! Jeez, my daughter is expecting to be impressed by our skating, and all we're doing is going around in circles. It won't do." She listened as the previous track finished and Alphaville's _Forever Young _began to play over the speakers, a smile creeping onto her face at the coincidence.

"You hear that?" Shelby asked him, "Regionals, 1992. I was one of the many backup girls and _you, _I believe, took the lead."

Will grinned and took her hand, and just like that, the two of them began the exact routine they had learned in high school, helping each other out when they forgot the moves. Shelby felt as though she were in a musical as he spun her gracefully around, the two of them unable to keep the smile from their faces. Again, the most real of flashbacks to their brief romantic encounter at his apartment, which seemed to crop up for her at the most inappropriate of times, but this time she didn't even blush. This time, it got her thinking. Thinking about the boy who yes, had been hot in high school but who she'd been invisible to, who'd blown every other male lead out of the water his whole high-school life. How much things changed; the man he was now, who had no investment in her but simply _cared _enough about she and her daughter to want to help her turn her massively screwed-up life the right way up.

He was still hot. She was no longer invisible. And yes, he still blew every other guy in the room out of the water.

* * *

Rachel was transfixed as she watched them twirl and glide so effortlessly on the ice, couldn't help but be so in awe of her mother and her teacher, so proud. They were looking into each other's eyes as they skated, seeming oblivious to every other person in the room, and Rachel couldn't help but feel a little sad - She knew that feeling well. They did look amazing together, it had to be said, and neither of them had been anything but wonderful to her the whole day... But still, Rachel couldn't help but feel somehow alone.

Taking a break from trying and failing to remain upright unsupported, she pulled her iPhone from her pocket. She was simply checking for new messages, didn't have the intention to actually do anything... But it was like her fingers took over her brain, working instinctively, and before she even realised, she had dialled his number.

It was just ten minutes later that he stepped out onto the ice (his house, it had to be said, was very close to the rink), but it had still taken Rachel that entire ten minutes to nervously shuffle once around the edge of the ice, never letting go of the barrier for more than two seconds at a time. Will and Shelby had just skated up to her near to the entrance, looking flushed and both smiling, as Rachel caught sight of him.

"Finn!" Mr. Schue called with a grin, and the boy looked up at the sound of his name from where he was standing just outside the rink, looking hesitant.

Rachel's heart skipped a beat as she saw him, his cute and confused face firmly in place as he looked doubtfully at the rink. Smiling, she made her way painfully slowly over to him. "What are you doing here? When I called I didn't expect you to-"

"You told me you were struggling, and you sounded kinda sad, so I thought I would..." He gulped finishing a little lamely, "Come help you out."

"That is _so _sweet," Rachel said honestly, "Are you a good skater?"

"Well, no. I've never been before, but I figure it can't be too hard. It's just, like, sliding about on ice, right?"

"Right." She raised an eyebrow, "You're right. It's really not that difficult. Hop on, Finn, there's nothing to worry about. You'll be fine." _Show him right, _she thought, but her plan backfired as he shrugged and stepped nonchalantly out onto the ice. She saw the split second in which his eyes widened in panic as he realised how unsteady he was, and of _course _it was her that he'd grab onto as he fell, bringing her crashing down with him. Damn.

"Oh my god, are you two okay?" Shelby shrieked as she and Will hurriedly skated over to them, their expressions panicked until they realised just how hysterically Rachel and Finn were laughing as they tried to untangle themselves, and began to laugh themselves as they helped them to their feet.

"Mom..." Rachel gasped as she tried to catch her breath, clinging tightly to Shelby's hand, "This is... Finn Hudson."

"Indeed it is, I don't think we've met in person. Your performance at Sectionals was excellent, I have to say. Queen and the Stones, they're hard songs to sing but you nailed them."

Finn looked a little taken aback as he tightly gripped the barrier for support, "Uh, Thanks, Miss Corcoran. Rachel's said a lot of nice things about you."

"Shelby, please." She insisted with a smile, turning to her daughter. "So, shall we show you kids some moves, then?"

They eagerly agreed, however it became apparent after about ten minutes of the adults attempting to show Finn and Rachel any 'moves' that it was an entirely pointless act considering the two still couldn't quite manage to get the hang of remaining upright.

After two hours, they had long since given up, and were happily sitting at a table in the rinkside cafe, from which they could see Will and Shelby still zooming about like professionals on the ice.

"No offence," Finn smirked, stirring his raspberry slushie with the straw, "But your mom's totally got the hots for Mr. Schuester."

Rachel's mouth fell open and she reached across the table to give him a slap on the arm, "Finn! That is _so _inappropriate!"

"And it's also _so _true!" He insisted, "Must run in the family."

"Excuse me? I do not have the hots for Mr. Schue."

"You _did..."_

_"_Yeah, I did..." Rachel admitted, looking up from her grape slushie with a glint in her eye, "But then, there was also a time when I had a crush on _you, _Finn, so we know just how good my judgment is."

He smiled, ignoring the way his heart leapt when she said that, "Seriously, Rach, I've had an awesome time today."

"Me too." Rachel spoke the truth; she couldn't remember the last time she'd had as much fun as this afternoon. She had laughed herself to tears with Finn on the ice at their utter hopelessness when it came to skating, couldn't count the number of times they'd overbalanced and ended up sprawled on the ground. And even when they were upright, they'd been clinging to each other for dear life, which in Rachel's books was never a bad thing.

"It was kind of good that we were both so completely crap, too." Finn spoke what she was thinking, "Like, we were both in the same boat so it didn't matter, you know?"

"I do know." She smiled genuinely at him, "In the past with us it's always been one of us guiding the other, showing them what to do. But this time it was like we were just discovering this new thing together, unlike with our singing lessons, or bowling..."

"You do remember what we ended up doing both those times?" Finn felt like slapping himself for bringing up their kisses, he had literally just allowed what was in his brain to come tumbling straight out without thinking. "Oh, god, I'm sorry. I shouldn't... Rach, I-"

"Finn, it's fine. Honestly."

"No, but I-"

"Finn." Rachel reached over and placed her small hand over his, looking him in the eye as he got agitated, "I mean it. It's ok."

And once he had ascertained that she wasn't mad, that he hadn't screwed it up, he visibly relaxed, turning his hand so that he could lace his fingers through hers as he spoke.

"I miss you, Rachel."

"You miss me?" She blinked, "Finn, we see each other every day."

"I know, but I mean I miss hanging out with you, you know? We used to be great, before the whole Jesse thing. You make me laugh, Rachel, I relax when I'm with you, and I miss having someone to turn to, just to _talk_."

"I understand." Rachel said quietly, "And I know things have been weird between us but I do want it to change. I hate feel like I'm losing you, Finn. But hey, I needed someone to turn to today and you were the only person I thought to call. That's something, right?"

"Right." He almost whispered, looking right into her eyes, and it was then that the two of them realised their hands were still intertwined. Realised just how quiet it seemed to have gone around them, how right it seemed for them to be sitting there. Both of them were itching to get closer, both realising how easy it would be for something to happen between them, right now at this very moment, just waiting for the other to give them a sign, to do _anything _that would indicate they wanted this just as much as the other_..._

"Hey, guys!" Mr. Schue's voice broke them out of their reverie, both Rachel and Finn's heads snapping up to look at their teacher with matching, slightly dazed expressions on their faces.

"You, um... You guys ready to go?" Shelby asked, coming up to stand beside Will and glancing down with a slightly bemused expression at Rachel and Finn's clasped hands.

"Yeah!" Finn said abruptly, suddenly becoming aware of himself and whipping his hand from Rachel's as he stood up, almost upturning his chair.

"Unless you wanted another quick shot on the ice? You were both very talented out there..." Will joked, and Rachel laughed as she stood up as well.

"Somehow I don't think so." She assured him as the four of them began to make their way to the exit, "I'd like your word, Will, that under no circumstances will there ever be any kind of Glee number on ice. I may die."

"I agree, Mr. Schue." Finn put in as they exited the building and stopped outside the complex, "If that's what you're planning, then I want Coach Sylvester back as director."

He laughed, "So Rachel, I'm taking your mom back to her place; can I offer you two a ride, or...?"

"I'll walk her home." Finn interjected, mentally slapping himself for jumping so fast at the chance, "I mean, uh..." He looked at Rachel, "If that's ok?" She beamed and nodded, before bidding goodbye to Mr. Schuester and turning to her mother. Will and Finn instinctively walked a few feet off to give them a moment as the two women, so very alike, looked at each other.

"I've had a really great day, Rachel."

"So have I, Sh..." Rachel stopped herself from saying her name, instead looking straight up into the older woman's eyes and practically whispering, "Mommy."

And with that, all of Shelby's self control went flying out of the window, the motherly instinct that she'd truly felt for this girl her whole life taking over as she pulled her daughter into her arms, the two of them clinging to each other as though it might kill them to let go.

"You know," Shelby sniffed, still holding her close, "As terrible as you were, I was so proud of you out there today, because you kept trying. Kept your chin up, kept smiling. That's how I know you're my little girl."

"Thank you." Rachel whispered sincerely into her mother's front, squeezing her eyes shut as a single tear managed to force its way over her cheek.

"It's the truth. And hey, another thing." Shelby finally pulled back, a hint of a mischievous smile on her face as she tipped her head slightly in Finn's direction, who was still talking to Mr. Schuester, "That one's a keeper."

"Wh-? I, um... Finn and I aren't really like-"

"Come off it, sweetie." Her mother told her, fully grinning now, "We may be new at this, but I can read you enough to know how you feel about him. And hell, I only met him two _hours _go and I can tell he's nuts for you. Don't let him go, Rach."

"You know..." Rachel was smiling too now, unable to resist, "I don't think I will."

And with that, with a wink from Shelby and a quick, final pat of her daughter's shoulder, the two of them made their way back over to bid goodbye, Shelby joining Will in heading towards his car and Rachel falling into step beside Finn. It was a long walk home ahead... And that fact made her positively gleeful.

* * *

"Well, how about... Abigail, then?"

"Eugh, no. You don't remember Abbie Stinson form elementary school? That girl was a _bitch_." Quinn visibly wrinkled her nose at the thought.

"Fair point. Well then, how about-"

"Puck, why are you even doing this? I've already told you I'm happy with Beth."

"You are?" He pushed, "It's just that whenever I say it, you look a little off, like you're just settling. If you don't like the name, I won't be offended."

"Okay." She breathed out, looking at him, "I love the name Beth, I do. But I'll admit I'm not huge on Bethany. So I was thinking we could call her, like..."

"Elizabeth?" He asked, and for the first time since they'd started the baby name game three months ago, he got a genuine smile out of her, unable to stop himself from noting just how beautiful she looked.

"That's beautiful! Then she could still be called Beth."

"Yeah," Puck smiled, "Or, you know, Liz."

"Lizzie."

"Ellie." He grinned, sure he'd got the last possible nickname.

"Eliza." Quinn countered him, and he shook his fist in mock annoyance.

"Damn. Umm, I dunno, ZaZa?"

Quinn smirked, "Puck, I forbid you to ever address our child as baby ZaZa."

"What's that, like Lady GaGa's offspring? We'll have to suggest the name to Kurt for his spawn." They both laughed, before Quinn leaned back in her seat, a little smile remaining as she looked down at her almost eight-month pregnant stomach.

"Little Elizabeth. I love it." And without warning, she leaned up with some difficulty to where Puck was sitting on the couch beside her, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Alright." He sighed with a grin, automatically standing up and slipping his feet into his shoes, "Now I get it. What do you want?"

"Pork scratchings. And some cheesecake, but only lemon drizzle if they have it. If they don't, then see if-"

"If they have any lemon drizzle muffins, I know." Puck finished for her, waving over his shoulder at her as he left her room to head downstairs. But as he opened the front door, someone else attempted to do the same from the other side, and he found himself colliding head on with Mercedes.

"Ouch! Sorry about that, Puck. I didn't know you were over."

"Yeah, I came to see Quinn, but she's got me headed for the store. You want anything?"

"No, I'm good... But Puck?" She looked a little uncomfortable.

"What?"

"What... What exactly is the deal with you and Quinn?" Mercedes asked him quizzically, "Because no-one knows where you stand, are you guys like, together now, or what?"

"We're kind of..." When he thought about it, Noah didn't know, and he said as much to Mercedes. "I think it's all gotten a little too complicated to put a label on. Officially, no. We're not a couple."

But hey, he thought as he headed into Lima to track down Quinn's cravings at the supermarket, it did definitely seem at the minute as though they were headed that way. And he was happy, really he was; she hadn't had too much of a moodswing at all in the past few days, and she'd been sweet to him all afternoon, they'd just hung out, watched a movie... Yeah, he was happy. Definitely.

Until, that was, and he couldn't explain why it so drastically brought his mood down, he caught sight of Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson, their arms practically touching as they walked together across the street, both of them laughing almost hysterically at some personal joke. They looked happy, ridiculously so, and Puck knew it shouldn't affect him. It had no reason to.

Then why the hell had his face so uncontrollably darkened over as he watched them, all his lighthearted thoughts of Quinn suddenly banished to the back of his mind?

He saw Rachel still giggling as their laughter subsided, saw her looking up at Finn rather than where she was walking. A loose crack in the pavement caught her by surprise, her foot twisting as she lost balance and began to fall, and it was like a basic human instinct for Noah as, without thinking, he began to run forwards to her aid. Except his idiot of a mind only registered that Rachel was in trouble, and not the fact that he was on the other side of the road or that Finn, standing within half a metre of her, would undoubtedly be the one to catch Rachel before she hit the ground. Not him.

Rachel clung to Finn as she regained her footing, no damage done, and as they kept walking, he simply left his arm around her shoulders. To every other passer by in the street, it looked like a perfectly normal scene, but Noah saw it. He saw the tiny moment between them, as Rachel looked up and blinked at him, their eyes meeting and two tiny smiles appearing on their faces. As they kept walking, his arm around her, off down the long street without noticing him, Rachel slipped her arm around Finn's waist. And for some reason to Puck, this tiny action made him feel as though he'd been punched in the guts.

_Screw this, _he thought as he stormed into the supermarket, is eyes blazing, _there must be something wrong with me. _He must be ill, he _must _be, there's no way that simple sight alone could have made him feel like this. Why would it, it was just dopey Finn and crazy Rachel, doing what everyone fully expected them to. He got it.

Puck had fully intended to spend a while in the store, making sure he got exactly the right things that Quinn liked, and some other things for them to share while they spent the evening watching movies. Instead he practically sprinted down the aisles and grabbed the first cake he could find without checking to see if it was even cheesecake, let alone lemon. So yeah, he was now planning on simply dropping the cake at the door and going home to most likely go to bed. And yeah, his plans had only changed after he'd seen Rachel looking so blissful with Finn.

But that didn't mean anything.

Right?


	4. Regularity

**Hello lovely readers! Thanks so much for the alerts and favourites and reviews, they make my day :) Sorry about the slower update but exam season reached a hectic level, but now it's all over I'll likely be writing more often if people are still interested in this story :) This chapter takes place a week after Regionals, assuming everything happened just as it did in the show, and Beth's just been handed over. I really hope you enjoy, and can't tell you how much I'd appreciate some feedback! Happy reading.**

**Donna xxx**

Chapter Four - Regularity

"I'm sorry I wasn't there today. I just... I couldn't..."

"I know, Puck. It's fine. I understand that it would have been too hard for you. I was actually really fine by myself, it was quite enlightening for me."

"Yeah?" He raised his eyebrows, looking a little confusedly at the phone in his hand.

"Yeah. Just seeing the look on her face when I handed her over, it was like I was giving her the best present anyone could ask for. Knowing just how much Beth's going to be loved, and how happy I've made her... I don't know." Quinn gushed, "I was standing there, looking at them, and Shelby just _looked _like her mom, you know? The two of them were beautiful together."

Puck swallowed, hoping that the feeling of vulnerability flooding through his body couldn't be heard in his voice, "So, are you okay?"

"Surprisingly, yeah. I thought it'd be hard, but... I was standing there, looking at them, and all I felt was this weight being lifted off my shoulders, this real sense of accomplishment. This thing happened to me, that should never happen to _any _teenager, but I got through it. And... I'm fine!"

"That's great, Quinn, really great." Puck tried to sound normal, wondering how in hell's name she could be so happy when he felt like he was balanced on the edge of a cliff. There was a lot more he knew he should be wanting to say... So why couldn't he think of a single thing? Why did he have such a drastic urge to slam the phone down?

"Well anyway, Puck, I have to go. I'm taking a class this evening, so I'd really better-"

His response to that was immediate: "Really? Is everything okay? Do you need me to come with you?" It was an instinct for him after all these months, to take the supportive, protecting role, so he was a little taken aback when an amused snort came down the phone.

"No, I think I'll be fine. I'm getting advice on post-natal exercise down at the gym, how to get back into shape, which I don't really think is your thing. Hey, you should be happy about this, I don't need you waiting on me hand and foot any more! You can have a life again!" She sounded disgustingly chirpy to Noah, her words creating a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach so fierce he basically tuned out her voice as she said goodbye, that she'd see him in school tomorrow.

When she'd hung up, he collapsed instantly back onto his bed, quite unable to place the feeling that was consuming him. There was just something, something that wasn't right about all of this. On face value, the situation should be perfect: The baby had been born, healthy and beautiful, and was going to a woman who could give her the happiest life imaginable. Quinn was also healthy and happy, moving back in with her mom and now that the baby drama was over, she and him had a real shot at making their relationship work out. New Directions had somehow been given another year despite their failure to place at Regionals, and generally, things were looking up all round.

However, to Puck, it seemed the complete opposite. Because even though really, things ought to go back to normal, the truth was it had all changed too much. Over the past few months, he'd almost enjoyed Quinn being pregnant, enjoyed the responsibility it had given him, and the feeling of being an adult - but now, he was back to being just some dumb seventeen year old jock. His friendship with Finn was as good as permanently shattered, and that meant more to Noah than he liked people to know.

It was at times like these, over the past few months, when everything had seemed bleak, that he would have texted Rachel Berry, and she would have come over and made all of his worries temporarily disappear with the strange, unexplainable power she held over him. These days, he knew there wasn't a hope in hell of her showing up, she hadn't for almost a month, given the fact that she'd spent the two weeks before and the one week back at school since Regionals hanging off Finn's arm. Holding Finn's hand. Looking lovingly into Finn's eyes. Whispering in Finn's ear. Kissing Finn's cheek. Or even worse, and with increasing regularity, kissing Finn full on the mouth.

And he was coming to realize that it was this fact, although he had no legitimate reasoning for it, that was getting Puck down more than anything else that was going on in his life.

* * *

A new week, a new start, he'd figured as he woke up the next day; Monday morning would most definitely bring some kind of stability to his current totally screwed up head state.

As if.

The first sign was when Puck texted Quinn to tell her he was on his way over to pick her up, as was his usual routine by now, only to have her reply instantly with a breezy _Oh sorry Puck, forgot to say I already left - me and San wanted to hit the gym before school started. Catch up later, though! Q. _It may have been stupid of him, he realised, but he had kind of assumed that her actually having the baby wouldn't change that much, that she'd still need him... He guessed he'd been wrong.

The second thing to throw him was when he finally did see her, and thought he might have been transported back in time. Catching her in the hallway during the break between second and third period, she was walking with Brittany and Santana, both of whom unashamedly checked Puck out as he walked up to the trio, but he barely noticed. He was too busy taking in the sight of Quinn, her hair pulled back in her old high ponytail and dressed in a short red dress and sneakers, looking as close to being a Cheerio as possible without actually wearing the uniform.

"Hey." He said in surprise, and she shot him a casual, sunny smile and leaned up to peck him on the cheek as Brit and Santana left them to talk.

"Hi Puck. Sorry about this morning, I was going to mention it to you but I figured you wouldn't come to pick me up anymore anyway."

"No, it's cool." Noah faked a smile, swallowing his real feelings, "I guess I just wasn't thinking. So, um... Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm okay; I'm feeling really good thanks. You?"

"Yeah, all good." Puck lied through his teeth, wondering how the hell he could feel so awkward with the girl he'd been so close to for the past several months. "I, um... I like the dress."

"Thanks!" She beamed, "I bought it because it looks kinda like a Cheerio's uniform… I'm hoping to convince Coach Sylvester to take me back eventually; I mean I'll have to do a lot more training before I'm back in shape, but..."

"I think you look great." Puck told her, purely for something to say, because the truth was he'd much preferred her being herself, looking natural in her pretty clothes rather than dolled up like some clone Barbie in her generic "popular" outfit.

"Thanks." Quinn smirked, leaning a little closer, "Did you see Rachel Berry yet today? She looks like a bowl of potpourris threw up all over her." A glint of her old malice shot through her features, a glint that had been absent in the past months, as she bade him a casual farewell and then darted off to rejoin Santana and Brittany.

Did he even _know _this girl? It sure as hell didn't seem like it to Puck, who felt shocked and, although it was terrible of him to think it, slightly repulsed. Sure, she'd always been a fickle one, but he hadn't counted on her snapping back into her old ways just a week after the baby was born. And truthfully, what did they have in common now, besides Beth? He'd had no idea what to talk to her about just now, and he realised as he walked down the hallway that all they'd really spoken about in the time they were "together" was baby stuff.

Names. Due dates. Doctors' appointments. Morning sickness. Cravings. Maternity clothes. All of that, and nothing else.

She had needed him, and so he had been supportive. But now, she was right: They _could _get their lives back. Only without this thing in common, the tiny little human being that had held them so inexplicably together, he just wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of hers.

Puck sighed, his head pounding and desiring nothing more than to smash up the lockers around him, and then possibly hibernate until high school ended. Because this _sucked, _and he was feeling pretty sure nothing today could make him feel any better.

Except, perhaps, for the sight of Rachel, storming her way down the corridor in a purple dress that was cut well above the knee and did not, despite his "girlfriend"'s taunting, look like potpourris, but had a delicate floral pattern on it - it was very Rachel. For once, students parted like the red sea as she marched down the hall, but more out of fear than awe. Her eyes were shining, her makeup slightly smudged and dark circles lay under her eyes - but to Puck, all that registered was how an angry Rachel was _hot as hell. _

"Hey." He braved, fixing his most convincingly kind smile on his face - If she was this angry, then maybe he could just hope that things weren't as rosy with Finn as it may appear. Maybe his day might just get brighter after all.

Maybe not. As Rachel heard him, her rapidly blinking eyes fixed him with an almost mutinous glare, her breathing harsh as she forced out an "I'm sorry, Puckerman, but I really don't need to talk to you right now. Excuse me." He hadn't even gotten a _Noah._

As Rachel spoke, she tried desperately to control herself, to stop herself from crying, from screaming, from lashing out at this boy who had played such a part in her current state. She could barely think, could barely see, and definitely couldn't cope with talking to such an infuriating human being as Puck right now. She knew who she needed at this moment in time, and he just happened to be looking on confusedly from his locker just down the hall. And so, without another word, Rachel turned on her heel and practically sprinted into Finn's arms, finally allowing herself to cry.

"Hey." She felt him say softly into her hair, his arms wound tightly around her tiny frame, "Hey, Rach, it's okay. What's the matter, baby?"

But right now, talking wasn't what she needed. Right now, when she could feel the eyes of Noah Puckerman on her back, all she needed was for Finn to hold her, and he wasn't getting that.

"Nothing." She mumbled through her sobs, holding him tighter, but he pressed on.

"Come on, what is it? Talk to me, Rach."

"I said nothing."

"Rachel-"

"For god's _sake!" _She shrieked, wrenching herself from his arms as everything inside of her finally snapped, her feelings on the truth she had discovered just last night finally surfacing. And for that reason, although she'd regret it later, she let it all out and aimed it directly at the person who cared the most.

"Are you not _listening_ to me, Finn? Is that something you are just completely incapable of? I've just told you I'm fine, of _course _I'm fine, because when has Rachel Berry ever not been fine? When I was having slushies thrown in my face every day? Fine. When you were never straight with me, more worried about your precious reputation? Fine. When Jesse St James admitted to me he was a total phony, had never felt anything for me in the slightest? Absolutely _brilliant. _And now, when I hear that after _finally_ feeling like I was getting somewhere with my mother after sixteen years of unsureness, now that I hear she's gone and adopted the baby, freaking Quinn Fabray's baby, I've never been better! Why _wouldn't _I be okay with being outright replaced, with being told in the bluntest way possible that I'm not enough for her? Of course I feel okay with my own mother basically telling me she doesn't love me, and your prying and going on and on and _on _at me just REALLY ISN'T HELPING!"

And with that, with the whole unnecessary tirade that had just come pouring out still ringing in her ears and Finn's look of utter misery and shock still burning against her eyes, Rachel stormed away, tears furiously streaking down her face as she stumbled to the auditorium, the one place in the school she felt at home and the place she knew would be empty at this time.

It took almost five whole minutes after throwing herself down in the centre of the stage for the tears to subside, for Rachel's sobs to become quiet enough to hear herself think again. And to remember everything that she'd just said to a boy who really, _really _didn't deserve it. As a wave of guilt began to course through her, she heard the opening bars of 'Defying Gravity' playing, and reached instinctively for her phone at the sound of her ringtone, sure for a moment that it must be Finn...

It wasn't. It was Shelby.


	5. Rash Assumptions

**Hi guys! Sorry for the wait but I hope you enjoy this, quite a dramatic chapter. And I never, _ever _want to sound like one of those ennoying review demanders who use their stories as ransom, but I would really really appreciate some more feedback - Otherwise I just don't know whether or not anyone's actually reading this or whether what I'm doing is any good! :P I'm always looking to improve and the people who've reviewed so far are utter stars :) Anyway, pleading over! On with chapter five, and happy reading!**

**Donna xxx**

Chapter Five – Rash Assumptions

For a moment, all Rachel wanted to do was hurl the phone out into the rows of seats, stamp it to pieces, _anything _to avoid speaking to this woman who had made her heart feel so completely full and then broken it entirely over the past twenty four hours. The woman who she'd wanted to know all her life, but that right now she just wanted to ignore forever because of what she'd done, how she'd made her speak to Finn. But Rachel knew she couldn't ignore it. And so, her hand shaking, she answered, her voice wavering as she whispered a "Hello?"

"Hey, Rachel." Shelby breathed, "How are you doing?" She could hear the cautiousness in her mother's voice, and was at least a little grateful that she knew Rachel might be upset with her.

"I'm okay, thank you." She managed to force out, "I'm at school."

"I know, I was hoping to catch you between lessons. Are you free to talk?"

Somehow, although she knew it was insane and that her feelings on the matter remained exactly the same, Rachel just couldn't bring herself to sound angry with Shelby. Instead, hearing her voice had just drained the energy out of her, "Yes, I have a free period now so I'm in the auditorium." She swallowed nervously, "I... I like the way it reminds me so voraciously of you."

Shelby laughed a little, "Gosh Rachel, you never cease to amaze me. Listen, I... I wanted to call because I figured you'd heard about everything by now and I needed to make sure you're okay. I understand it's not the most normal of situations."

Rachel could hear the genuine worry in her mother's voice, and figured that was something, "I have to admit I was very surprised about the baby."

"I know, Rach, and that's why I want to explain myself. Everything just seemed so perfect when it was being arranged, it all just kind of fell into place for me. But then I realised how it must have seemed to you, and I felt so _horrible _when I realised you might feel like I was-"

"Replacing me?" Rachel said, a little bitterly, but somehow she just didn't have the energy to shriek, to cry, to let out all of the emotion that was packed inside of her. Instead, her tone was deflated, a dull acceptance, almost ironic as she put on a brave face. "It's fine, I understand. I knew it was all a little too good to be true, if I'm honest... Now you can raise Beth to be a tiny little Vocal Adrenaline member, it's ideal when you think about it."

"_God _no." Shelby's shocked tone made her sit up a little, "Rachel, that's what I'm trying to tell you! I've left Vocal Adrenaline, that was _always_ the plan after Regionals."

"Really?" All Rachel could do was whisper now, her eyes wide and stunned as her mother carried on:

"Yes, really. I've needed to get out for a while now, Rachel, It's like I told you. I need to start afresh, begin to live my life the way I want to. I'm deadly serious about this, after a while I can find a job with decent hours, something that I love. I can get a house, maybe even a man in my life... I can raise this little girl properly, and have some _time_ for once, time for myself and for you and for Beth."

"You..." Tears had begun, once more, to make their way down Rachel's cheeks as she digested this, "You mean that?"

"More than anything." Her mother clarified immediately, "You need to know that. This is never, _ever_ me replacing you, sweetie. This is me saying goodbye to the terrible years when I was without you, and when my world was led by those soulless automatons. Saying hello to this new life of mine, one that has you, my wonderful grown-up daughter in it, and a beautiful new little baby that depends on me entirely."

Her mother sounded invigorated, unbelievably passionate as she spoke, and despite herself, a smile had appeared through Rachel's tears.

"I... I understand."

"You do?"

"Yes. I do." Rachel's voice was growing stronger now, the cloud that had been hanging over her since she'd found out lifting, "I just felt awful when I thought... When I thought that you didn't want me. Because I think it made me realise all at once how much I need you now, and it scared me to think that you didn't need me."

"I need you more than _anything._" Shelby said firmly, "I always have, Rachel. And I've got a feeling your sister does, as well." At that, Rachel started to choke up again, this time with happiness and disbelief at the fact that not only did she have her mother, but a sister.

"I'm so excited about this, sweetheart; I can't begin to tell you. This is all going to be okay, so no more worries, you got it?" Rachel gave a laugh through her tears.

"Got it."

"I love you."

And Rachel meant it with her whole heart, now almost entirely back in one piece, as she responded honestly, "I love you too."

However, as she hung up, her state of mind now completely sound and her mood soaring, she thought about what she'd just said and realised that there was one more thing she needed to fix, one more person that needed to know that before everything was right. And for that reason, she picked up her phone again, quickly tapping out a text giving her location, and thanked the lord they both had a free period next.

As expected, he arrived within two minutes, a confused but slightly hopeful look on his face as he walked onto the stage to join her.

"Hey." Finn said quietly, sounding a little unsure, before Rachel responded with the absolute truth.

"I love you."

* * *

Puck's head shot up as he heard the door to the choir room open that afternoon, an instinctive smile breaking over his face as he saw that his prayers had been answered. It was Rachel.

"Hello, Noah." She shot him a sunny, casual smile, "You're here early."

"Yeah." He said hastily, standing up and making his way over to her at the piano, "I skipped last period and came here, I needed a bit of a think and a nap_." Plus the fact that I knew you'd arrive early for Glee club and wanted to be here_, he added silently, cursing himself.

"Oh." Rachel didn't take what he was saying too seriously, her mind wandering instead to when Finn would arrive, "Well, as much as I disapprove of your shameless truancy, I-"

"Rach." He cut her off, and it was at that moment that she realised the way Puck was looking at her. She knew that look. "Please, do me a favour, and just don't talk."

It was with that that he pulled her roughly towards him, capturing her mouth with his with the same urgent sense of need they'd both felt countless times. At first, Rachel almost instinctively gave into it, automatically kissing him back the way she'd always done as a means of physical release. But it was less than two seconds before reality hit her, the fact that she didn't _need _this any more, that she didn't _want _this, and she pushed him off of her, her eyes wide.

"What the _hell _do you think you're doing?" She demanded, glaring at him, his expression equally as angry.

"What am _I _doing?" He spat in response, "I could say the same to you, Berry. You know the way things work between us, now what's your problem? Things are crap with Quinn, and judging by what I saw this morning things are looking far from peachy with Finn... Why the hell wouldn't you?"

"Excuse me? Things are fantastic between me and Finn, I'll have you know, so if I were you I'd shut the hell up about things you know _nothing _about!" Rachel took a breath and lowered her voice a little, realising that she'd spoken harshly and not wanting to fight with him over some mixed messages.

She reached out to place a hand on his arm, "Look, I... I'm sorry, Noah. But what you saw this morning was just a small fight, not enough to break me and Finn up. I was over-emotional, I was upset, and I said things I shouldn't, but you can't judge me on that, and you certainly can't go making rash assumptions. Over third period Finn and I sat and talked everything out, exactly the way we feel and we're really making a go of it."

Raising his eyebrows, Puck wrenched his arm out from her touch, and she felt her temper soaring once more as he demanded, "Oh yeah? You shared _everything? _So presumably you told him about us and our little rendesvouses, then?"

"As a matter of fact, although it is in _no _way your business, yes I did!" Rachel yelled in response, her gaze fierce and never leaving his, "And because Finn, unlike yourself, has an emotional range superior to an ape's, he understood! It was like him sleeping with Santana - and don't look surprised, yes I know about that - He understood that it meant _nothing_." She hadn't meant to go off on him like this, it was far from what she needed at the end of everything good to happen that day - but now she had started, now he had infuriated her beyond belief, there was no way Rachel was stopping now.

"Besides, Puckerman," She continued to rant, no longer meeting his eye as her furious gaze roamed the room around her, "I don't see why the hell you _care _what goes on with me and Finn, the two of us have always known we were just each other's safety nets, something to fall back on. It's not like we ever got anything out of our repulsive little trysts, like it meant a damn to either of us! I don't see why you think you have the _right_ to be bothered by me and Finn, it's not like you and I ever had any kind of communication, any semblance of a serious relationship! It's not like you _love_ me or..."

But as she spoke, an icy cold chill suddenly seemed to cloak every inch of her body, realisation hitting her like a baseball bat. For the first time since she had begun her tirade, Rachel had looked into his eyes, and instead of the glaring anger from a few moments before, she had seen the complete, unbearable pain, a vulnerability that she didn't think anyone could have ever seen in Noah Puckerman before. Her voice trailed off, her eyes wide and the end of her sentence, whatever it may have been, completely forgotten, an almost silent "Oh!" escaping her lips in horror at what she'd just learned.

It was the worst possible moment, but as always, that was the one in which it happened. The second after Rachel learned the heartbreak she'd caused was the second when Finn Hudson happened to walk into the choir room, and she spun to face him.

"Hey." Rachel said softly, the sight of his adorable, confused face momentarily making her forget the truth she'd just unearthed, and security flooding through her as she smiled at him.

"Um... What's going on?" Finn was looking behind her, where Puck still stood, his expression bewildered, "This isn't like, one of the times you were telling me about, is it Rach? Because I kind of assumed that would stop once you and I..."

Rachel, slightly amused despite herself at Finn's wide eyes, opened her mouth to answer - but someone got there first.

"Hell no, Hudson." Puck cut in darkly, "Don't you worry, I sure as hell ain't going _there_ again. I was just tuning my guitar when Julie Andrews here decided to come crash the party."

Both Rachel and Finn frowned slightly at that, at the bitter tone in his voice, but before either of them could speak, distraction appeared in the form of the rest of New Directions entering along with Mr. Schuester, laughing and chatting merrily and instantly breaking the tension in the room. All they could do was sit down with the rest of the club, Rachel and Finn in the front row while Puck threw himself down in the seat behind them, as the rehearsal began.

Mr. Schue stood beaming at the front and began his speech for the day, totally unaware of what had gone down in there just minutes before, but Rachel didn't hear a word. Instinctively, desperate for comfort, she reached across and slipped her hand into Finn's, and as he squeezed it gently she felt instantly a hundred times better.

But at the exact same moment, she heard a sharp intake of breath from the boy sitting in the row directly behind them. And that only served to make her feel a thousand times worse.


	6. Thinking Rationally

**Long time no update, huh! Hugely sorry about that, guys, but I've been really caught up in other things and on top of that, a wicked case of writer's block got me on this chapter - you know how it is! Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews in the meantime, and I reeeally hope you enjoy this. Let me know what you think, and I promise to try and update sooner this time! :D**

**Donna xx**

**PS Watched S2E1 online today... Just one word... FINCHEL! Ohhh how happy they make me :)**

Chapter Six – Thinking Rationally

"Come on Rach, it's only five-thirty. Let's do something!" Finn leapt up decidedly, a wide smile on his face, "We could go bowling?" This only warranted an unenthusiastic "Mmm..." and a total lack of movement from his girlfriend, but all the same he pressed on.

"Or the movies? There's that new musical out I think you'd like, or we could go out and get something to eat?"

"Yeah, we could." Rachel responded mildly, but still didn't make a move to stand up from where she was sprawled on the couch.

"Aww, am I gonna have to drag you?" Finn gave an exaggerated sigh, smiling cheekily as he held out a hand to haul her from her seat. But Rachel had other ideas, grabbing hold of his hand, pulling him back down onto the sofa beside her, and burying her head in his chest. Puzzled, Finn wrapped his arms around her, his expression changing to one of concern.

"Or, you know, we could just stay here, if that's what you want..." He sighed, "Come on, Rachel, talk to me. What's up, huh?"

"Ugh." She said into his front, before turning herself so that she could look up at him as she spoke, taking a deep breath. "Look, I... I want us to be honest with each other, Finn, I really do."

"You can tell me anything."

"Okay." She bit her lip, "Well, today when you walked in on me and Noah in the choir room... We both said nothing happened. But actually... It did."

She felt him freeze around her almost instantly, his grip on her tensing subconsciously as his face fell even further.

"You mean..." Finn said quietly, his tone harsh but confused at the same time, "The two of you...?"

"It was him, I swear!" Rachel exploded suddenly, sitting bolt upright and facing him, her eyes wide and her hands clutching his as she insisted, "He tried to kiss me, Finn, but I promise you that I pulled away immediately! He was just..." Her voice was becoming shriller, so determined was she to make him understand, "He saw me yelling at you this morning and thought that meant we'd broken up, and he says things are going terribly between he and Quinn and well, the way we always got through these things before is by being with each other and I guess he... Like, you and Santana... And I... He thought... I..." Rachel's breath caught in her throat as she spoke at a hundred miles an hour, eventually unable to get a sentence out as Finn's face remained expressionless.

"We didn't... Just... Oh god Finn, just _please _don't go beat him up again!"

Over the course of her outburst, Finn had moved from his position sprawled on the couch, to sitting with both feet on the floor, looking straight ahead, his motionless face in complete contrast with her desperate, pleading expression. There was a short pause after she finished speaking, as he ran a hand through his hair and took a slow breath in before exhaling heavily.

"I'm not gonna go beat him up, Rachel." He said softly, so quietly and calmly that she almost didn't hear him, "I, uh..." He swallowed, finally glancing at Rachel for the first time and sounding as though he was having difficult finding words, "I know the guy's had a hard time, he's confused about the whole Quinn thing... I know how that girl gets inside people's heads."

"I'm so glad you don't hate me." Was all Rachel could whisper, a single tear rolling down her cheek as he turned his head to look at her slowly, a disbelieving and slightly sad expression on his face.

"I can't believe you would think I ever could." He assured her, still painfully quietly, "We can sort this out, I know it, but honestly... I think you need to go and talk to Puck."

It wasn't what she had expected, but still Rachel nodded slowly, biting her lip, "Will... Will you come with me?"

At that, Finn's voice became more solid again, his face more determined as he shook his head firmly, "Nuh uh, Rach." He stood up, extracting his keys from the pocket of his jeans, "You have to deal with this. You and him. Now go on, you can take my car."

He held out his hand, and as much as she still wanted to stay curled on the sofa without confronting this, she resisted the urge, and allowed herself to be hauled to her feet.

"But I-"

"No buts!" Finn interjected, seeming re-energized as she tried to protest once more, this time cutting her off with an unexpected kiss, "You. Puck's house. Now. You'll talk it out, feel miles better, and be out of there before you know it, with none of this weighing on you. And then you can come back here. Now go!"

And so, she did. And so, during the whole drive over, she allowed herself to believe everything that Finn said, that it really was as simple as sorting this all out with a conversation.

She was stupid to think that. Because, after knocking on the front door of Noah's house for over five minutes, there had been no response despite the fact that all of the lights were on. Was he ignoring her? Rachel's morale was beginning to drop, the dread creeping back into the pit of her stomach as she gave in, and made her way back to Finn's car.

She started the engine, and glanced back at the house... And as it turned out, she was glad she hadn't waited any longer. Because it sure as hell would have been awkward if Rachel had still been waiting by the front door when a breathless Santana flung it open, her hair flowing loose, her eyes glinting, her top askew and her Cheerio's skirt on back to front.

* * *

Rachel was genuinely worried. She was many things - a little vain; slightly condescending at times; self absorbed - but she was, at heart, a good person, and she just couldn't live knowing that she was causing someone such pain. Which was why she had made her excuses, got out of last period ten minutes early and was walking purposefully towards the choir room, determined to make things right with Noah before Glee started.

Sure, she had been shocked yesterday upon her discovery, had gone back to Finn's house almost in tears, but after they talked it over, she had seen that she could still fix this. He had got her thinking rationally again, told her it would be okay, his attitude surprisingly mature. Her expression softened slightly, her pace slowing as she thought of Finn. God, she loved him.

But, now wasn't the time, she told herself, breaking into a fast walk once again. Puck _had _to see how sorry she was, how it had all been unintentional, how destructive he was being in going back to his old ways with Santana... It would be fine.

It wasn't fine. Upon entering the choir room, expecting it still to be empty, Rachel's jaw dropped. There he was, leaning back in his seat, somehow managing his trademark smirk even as he made out with the small blonde cheerleader perched on his lap.

She blinked, and averted her eyes slightly, managing a small clear of her throat to alert them of her presence. While Brittany grinned upon seeing Rachel and waved, Puck kept his stony, defiant expression in place and didn't look at her.

"Hey, did you know you used to have a mohawk?" Britt asked him mildly, her eyes wide with permanent wonder, "Hi Rachel! Well, I have to go now. I have Glee club practice." And with that, she hopped off of his lap and scampered out of the room, leaving her bag and all of her belongings behind. Rachel did let her mind wonder, for a moment, where exactly Brittany thought she was going, given that they were already in the choir room, but that was entirely beside the point.

She closed her eyes for a second, before taking the leap, and sitting down slightly awkwardly in the seat next to Noah.

"Hey."

"Berry." He gave her a curt nod, still without making eye contact, and she sighed again, figuring the only way to deal with this was to dive right in.

"So I, uh... I saw Santana at your place last night."

"Yeah." He smirked again, "That girl will drop her underwear quicker than Hudson drops whatever he's holding whenever you look at him."

A disgusting comment, she thought, but at the same time she wanted to burst into tears at the bitter, lingering honesty in his voice.

"Look, Noah, I never wanted to hurt you." She said emphatically, almost wringing her hands with how much she needed to get this across, "I didn't know how you felt."

This time, he was the one to sigh, as though finally accepting that this conversation really was happening, and there was no way out of it. For the first time, he looked her in the eye.

"Neither did I, really. I was convinced I must have real feelings for Quinn, but... Well, I guess I was wrong."

There it was. There was a bit of the human inside of him, the Noah he so desperately tried to hide and Rachel was pleased to know.

"I hope we can still be friends." She said in a small voice, an undoubtable sense of de ja vu creeping over her.

"We weren't friends before." _Definite _de ja vu. Only this time, her answer was different.

"You're right." She said honestly, "We weren't. We had nothing in common, our personalities clashed, but... We still looked out for each other. You stopped slushie-ing me, I stopped thinking you were some dumb jock... We _could _have been friends."

"Well you know what, _Berry_?" Puck raged, jumping to his feet suddenly as though something inside of him had snapped, "That was before everything changed, before you took _everything _away from me."

"Noah, I-" But he was too far gone now, and he carried on as though she hadn't spoken.

"Before my best friend became your boyfriend. Before my daughter became your sister. Before my heart became your _fucking _punch bag."

Rachel was speechless. And the worst part was, he didn't storm out right away. There was a moment, perhaps five seconds of deadly silence, where he just looked at her; raw, human fire in his eyes. It was more humiliation, more guilt, more honesty than she had ever seen in him before. More than she could bear.

And then, he ripped his eyes away from her, his expression fuming as he walked swiftly out of the door in quick, powerful strides, not looking back once and not acknowledging a worried looking Finn as he passed him in the doorway.

And it took Rachel, stunned, a few more seconds before she was overcome, one huge, wracking sob escaping from her in sheer desperation. In a flash, Finn had crossed the room and she was in his arms, clinging to him as though they were at the top of a cliff… And she was in danger of falling at any second.


	7. How Did it End Up Like This?

**It's been a _long _wait guys, very sorry about that! I've been mega mega busy with schoolwork, even though that sounds like a total excuse - dude, A-levels are harder than I'd expected! :P But nevertheless here's a new chapter, one which I really enjoyed writing, so I hope you like it. Reviews letting me know what you thought would be _endlessly _appreciated :) Happy reading!**

**Donna xx**

Chapter Seven – How Did it End Up Like This?

"Puck, get the hell off of me." Santana sighed, rolling her eyes as he, a little surprised, rolled off, "This isn't doing it for me. We did this whole desperate anger sex thing last night, I'm _bored_."

"The hell, Lopez? Since when are you one to turn down-?"

"Since you started doing this solely for some other girl." She cut him off bluntly, propping herself up against his headboard and surveying him calmly, as if it were perfectly normal to have this conversation while both in nothing but their underwear. "It's _totally _not that I'm jealous or anything, it's that you're acting like a pussy. Can't you just get _over _her already? It's freaking Rachel Berry."

As predicted, he was protesting straight away. "Look, San, you don't ge-"

"Yes, I do!" She looked at him disbelievingly, that cocky Santana face firmly in place, "I may not be super academic, but I am smart. And I've been in love before." Only then did her sturdy expression falter slightly, as she refused to meet his eye and her voice wavered a little, dropping in volume. "I know when the hell something's a lost cause, okay?"

Puck put a hand to his head, letting out a heavy sigh. She just _didn't get it. _"But... Maybe it's not!" He tried desperately, but the scathing look was back in place and her voice strong once more.

"Dude." Santana insisted, "After you stormed out of Glee club today, Finn and Rachel sang _Come What May _from _Moulin Rouge _to each other, and they were being totally sappy about it. Sure, it almost made me barf into my shoes, but even _I_ have to admit that all that 'I will love you to my dying day' crap was kinda adorable in a bizarro way. They're crazy for each other, Puck."

At that, he was finally silenced, surprised at her ability to be so straight with him in the way no-one else had. Maybe it was what he needed... Dude, she would make an awesome counsellor, albeit a slightly unprofessional one, if she was going to wear a lacy black bra and panties to all of the sessions. Hey, he wasn't complaining.

"So the way I see it," He figured she had taken his silence as an excuse to power on, "You have a few options. You can continue both lusting after and yelling at Berry and despising Finn, whilst boinking your way through every Cheerio at McKinley and feeing no better about yourself. You can keep pursuing her, and keep failing, and live your life as some miserable, celibate bachelor and a witness to Finn and Rach's happy ending." Way to put it bluntly, Lopez, he thought with a pang.

"Or, god forbid, you could just try and be friends with her. It's not impossible, you know, and it's very likely you'd be over her pretty soon." Santana shrugged, "You could start dating Britt, although I know Mike Chang's after her, so that could get weird. You could date me if you want to, so long as it's not just for the sex. And dude," She smirked, "We could _totally_ outshine Hudson and Berry as the coolest Gleek couple. Saying that, you'd have to work on your grades a little. They've been declining steadily since second grade, and financial security is still a big deal to me."

Puck snorted, shaking his head a little in shock, "My my, Lopez," He smirked, his tone sarcastic, "You always know to make a guy feel better."

Santana gave a little salute as she hopped off the bed, speaking casually as she pulled her clothes on, "Dude, I've known you since we were five, and I know that being harsh is the only way to get through that thick skull of yours and reach the smart, reasonable guy in there." She pulled her hair into a ponytail and picked up her bag, "Chin up, Puckerman. There's always a bright side." And, with a cheery pat on the shoulder and kiss on the cheek, she was gone, leaving a bewildered Noah on his bed in nothing but his underwear.

He sighed, heaving himself into an upright position and sitting on the edge of his bed with his feet planted on the floor. He hated how bluntly she had said it. He hated the things she had said to him about Rachel and Finn. He hated how well she knew him, how she seemed to have this all figured out for him.

_There's always a bright side..._

"Damnit, Lopez." He cursed. Because most of all, he hated how right she was. And, as he slowly found the energy to get up and take a shower, find his clothes, a plan was already forming in his brain.

* * *

_"I'm coming out of my cage, and I've been doing just fine,  
Gotta gotta be down,  
Because I want it all.  
It started out with a kiss,  
How did it end up like this?  
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss..."_

So far, so good, thought Noah, as he powered through the first verse, his voice ringing clearly throughout the choir room as he moved easily to the music with his eyes on the audience. The only members he didn't look at were Finn and Rachel... At least not until he neared the chorus, until he finally worked up the courage to look her in the eye.

When he did, he faltered. It was the sad, accepting, almost-smile on her face that practically floored him, and all of the feelings he'd been so determined to get over were suddenly rushing back, his voice wavering slightly as Rachel stared into his eyes.

_"But it's just the price I pay..."_

He didn't think he could finish this, could feel that deadly lump rising in his throat, his breathing quickening... But although to him, he and Rachel were the only ones in the room, that actually was not the case at all.

Every other member had their eyes fixed on Puck, and luckily one of them noticed him flagging. As he finished the chorus for the first time, he felt a hand grab his and pull him around so his gaze was wrenched from Rachel. A smooth female voice was now accompanying his own...

God, that Santana was a saint, Puck thought, as he acknowledged her presence alongside him on stage - he was pretty sure he wouldn't have been able to finish the song without her. But finish it he did, their voices meshing together powerfully, and by the time the last few lines rolled around he was looking directly at her, absorbed in the performance rather than in Finn and Rachel.

_"But it's just the price I pay,_  
_Destiny is calling me._  
_Open up my eager eyes,_  
_'Cause I'm Mr Brightside."_

As they finished up, the rest of the club was on its feet, singing along with the final few lines and applauding wildly. And as the final note drew to a close, Puck really felt as though a weight had been lifted off is shoulders, a genuine smile spreading over his face as he high-fived Santana.

"Thank you." He said simply, both for encouraging him to do this and helping him when he needed it, and she squeezed his hand.

"No problem, dude. I could see you were struggling, figured you could do without the embarrassment of bawling your eyes out in front of the whole club." He nodded, and in a flash, she had leaned up and kissed him, oh-so-casually, before shooting him a wink. "You can thank me another time. Catch you later, Puckerman."

And then Santana was gone, linking fingers with Brittany and strolling out of the room with the rest of the club. Puck watched her go with a small smile, a little puzzled and lot proud of himself. He had really needed that push, he thought as he flopped into a seat, really couldn't have done that without that blunt voice of reason making him see sense. Was he completely and utterly over Rachel Berry? Hell no. But after doing that performance, he thought he might just be one step closer.

Puck froze as he heard a noise behind him, and realised that he wasn't quite as alone as he'd thought. All of the other club members had trouped out with Mr Schue, congratulating him as they went... All except one. It was just Finn, and Puck, alone, together. And if _that _wasn't awkward, he didn't know what the hell was.

Hurriedly, he got to his feet and began to pack his guitar away, before he realised that Finn wasn't making any move to leave the room. In fact, he was just standing there, looking a little nervously right at him. Turned out, finally, this conversation was actually going to happen.

Finn sighed, "Look, dude, I'm so sor-"

"Don't, Hudson." Noah found himself almost snapping, but not because he was angry. He just couldn't let Finn say it. "Whatever you do, do not apologize to me, or I'll have to kill you. I don't deserve it."

"No, I want to." He insisted, his voice quiet, and Puck finally stopped still, making eye contact with his ex-best friend for the first time.

"Look, man, no matter how well things are going with me and Rach at the minute-" There was a sharp intake of breath from Puck, and Finn flinched, holding up a hand, "I know, dude, I know, but let me say this. No matter how great things are with her, I still can't be happy without... Well, without fixing this." He gestured between them, still looking a little uncomfortable - they had never been great with the whole 'discussing feelings' thing.

And in Noah's opinion, it was best if it stayed that way. "Why would it matter if we fixed it or not?" He questioned, "You have her, you don't need-"

"I need my brother back." Finn said, so honestly it silenced even Puck. "I never knew how you _felt, _dude! If I'd known you didn't just see her as some other hot chick, another notch on the bedpost, then I'd have-"

"You'd have done exactly the same, Finn." This time, it was Puck who cut _him _off, a little wearily, "You love her. I know that, and I know you'd be unhappy without her. Look, I'll be fine, I..." He swallowed, sighing slightly, wondering how to say this, "You have every reason to want to kill me. I knocked up your girlfriend, stabbed you in the back, broke the two of you up, I..." Seriously, this emotion stuff was getting _way _too much now. He was in real danger of turning into a chick. And, rather than struggle onwards with trying to explain himself, Puck just looked up, guiltily meeting Finn's eye, and said what he'd been trying to for god knows how many months.

"I'm sorry."

There was a moment's pause, where neither was sure if the other was going to kiss him or punch him, before at the exact same second they came together in a fierce hug, sixteen years of friendship remembered, just like that. And both of them, stubborn as they were, were happier about their reconciliation then they'd _ever _care to admit.


End file.
